Comparison between different territorial policies to support intermodality of public transport.

Abstract

As an important part of sustainable mobility, intermodality aims at improving the efficiency and attractiveness of a travel made by different means of transport, resulting in a seamless experience for travellers. The Inter-Connect Project was set up as a study to reduce environmental impact caused by motorised transport, thus enhancing sustainable mobility of passengers. The whole analysis developed through the creation of integrated connections among different transport modes - road, rail, and sea transport considering different factors related to sustainability such as social (quality of life, transfer safety and comfort), economic (efficiency, employment, productivity) and environmental factors (emissions, biodiversity, environmental protection). The study was realized in the ADRION area developing different solutions aimed to promote transport integration among partner States: Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia. The cooperation between the partner states led to align some goals and policies, to share knowledge, data and resources, between different institutions and organizations. To this end, the study methodology followed a bottom-up approach to ensure each entity involved was willing to cooperate, in order to overcome any legal, infrastructural, and operating barriers, and to supply the best intermodal solutions to facilitate passengers. Potential improvements introduced to promote intermodality in the eight Inter-Connect study cases were examined from a transnational, national, and regional point of view to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Each partner of the Inter-Connect Project developed their projects thus enhancing and promoting the use of intermodal transport modes for passengers.